In hospitality, marketing is so much more than messaging. It’s about meaning.
As we move deeper into an era where guests seek purpose and personalization, the businesses that will rise to the top are those that align what they offer with what they believe and communicate that belief clearly, consistently and authentically.
This past year, in my Experiential Marketing course at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, I watched student teams work with real hospitality businesses — from hotels and restaurants to gyms and destination organizations — exploring how wellness, sustainability and community engagement could be better woven into the guest experience and the brand message.
At the center of each project was a key question: What does it mean to market with purpose? And more importantly: How can that purpose come through in a way that’s real, resonant and effective?
What we learned, and what I continue to emphasize, is that marketing that connects must start from a foundation of authenticity. The goal is not to add more to our campaigns, but to deepen the meaning behind what we already do. That’s how we cut through the noise.
When the message is meaningful
Wellness is not just about yoga mats and smoothie bars. Sustainability isn’t just about LED lights or signage encouraging guests to reuse towels. These efforts, while valuable, are only effective when they’re part of a bigger story — one that reflects the business’s genuine commitment to people and planet. When that story is clearly told visually, emotionally and strategically, it resonates.
In our classroom projects, we saw how properties that want to be perceived as wellness-driven must offer more than amenities; they must communicate care. That could be something as simple as stocking the minibar with electrolyte-enhanced water or as strategic as creating menus built around nourishment and recovery. When done with intent, these small moments build a guest journey that feels personalized and not performative.
The same goes for sustainability and community engagement. Guests aren’t necessarily booking a stay because your hotel composts or sources local produce, but they will remember these values when they’re surfaced meaningfully, especially when they align with their own. In fact, research confirms this: 81% of consumers believe companies should be implementing environmental initiatives (MindClick), and products with clear sustainability claims grow sales five times faster than those without (NielsenIQ, 2023). I often remind my students: People don’t just buy the product; they buy the feeling and meaning that comes with it. That’s the marketer’s superpower: to ensure people feel seen, valued and connected to something greater.
It’s only marketing if they know about it
We uncovered that businesses are often doing the right things but fail to communicate them. If guests don’t see or feel your values, they can’t connect to them. And if your employees don’t know the “why” behind these efforts, they can’t carry that message forward. Marketing means informing and educating, not just “selling.” Become the voice that creates relationships as trusted advisors to your audiences, if it’s authentic and legitimate.
That’s why internal communication is just as vital as external messaging. It must happen first, and it must happen effectively. Employees need to understand what the company stands for and how to articulate it, whether they’re at the front desk, in housekeeping or serving in the restaurant. Marketing with meaning starts from within.
From the guest-facing side, this means building messaging touchpoints across your entire marketing ecosystem: on your website and booking path, in online travel agency listings, in social media storytelling, at trade shows, and even in simple verbal moments at check-in or check-out. That’s where your purpose lives — not in a single campaign, but in every interaction.
Focus brings clarity and connection
One of the most important lessons we learned was that good marketing doesn’t try to do everything at once. In one project, a team was initially overwhelmed by a hotel’s broader rebranding efforts. But when they focused on the assignment at hand — enhancing the on-site gym experience — they uncovered a host of actionable ideas, from in-room workout options for business travelers to recommended outdoor walking paths that started at the gym and ended there, too. When they recentered on the guest and the purpose, their strategy became clear.
It’s a reminder to all of us: Resonance comes from focus. Marketing with meaning means starting with what matters most to your audience and building your story from there.
Purpose is the new differentiator
Purpose is no longer optional. It’s the differentiator. That’s why I encourage marketers to think beyond traditional advertising and invest in strategic storytelling that highlights values and invites participation — without “wellness-washing” or “greenwashing.” Brands with a strong sense of purpose grow twice as fast as those without (Kantar, 2020), and more than half of consumers say they are willing to pay more for offerings that support their well-being (McKinsey & Company, 2022). Here is where marketing can push the operator to deliver even more for a truly authentic connection.
Partner with micro-influencers who live your values. Highlight team members who embody your mission. Create activations — on-property and online — that show your commitment to wellness, sustainability or community in action. Let your content inspire and inform, not “sell.” This is particularly crucial given that many consumers want sustainable choices but lack the information to act on them (McKinsey & Company, 2023). That gap is the marketer’s opportunity.
When we connect with audiences in ways that feel meaningful and authentic, we’re no longer pushing messages; we’re building relationships. And in hospitality, that’s everything.
Hospitality is how we make people feel; so is marketing
As I say often, hospitality is about how we make people feel. So, too, is marketing. If we want to build trust, inspire loyalty and stand out, purpose is essential. We must surface the stories of care, of commitment, of community and market that in ways that feel personal and powerful. That’s effective marketing — the kind of marketing our guests, and yes, even our planet, deserve.
References
- Edelman. (2023). 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer.
- Kantar. (2020). Purpose 2020: In it for the Long Haul.
- McKinsey & Company. (2022). The Future of Wellness.
- McKinsey & Company. (2023). Consumer Pulse: Sustainability in Financial Services.
- MindClick. (n.d.). EH Index: Consumer Trends and Sustainability Insights.
- NielsenIQ. (2023). Sustainability Claims and Consumer Behavior.
- Porter Novelli/Cone Communications. (2022). Purpose Perception Study.
Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC is Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration (BU SHA) teaching the Experiential Marketing and Digital Marketing courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
This column is part of ISHC Global Insights, a partnership between CoStar News and the International Society of Hospitality Consultants.
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